


In One Spirit Meet And Mingle

by loves_books



Series: Nothing In The World Is Single [3]
Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Episode: s02e01 And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-18
Updated: 2015-11-18
Packaged: 2018-05-02 07:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5239793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loves_books/pseuds/loves_books
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James knows something is going on. He’s known it from the moment Robbie stuttered his way through a dinner invitation in their office that afternoon, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In One Spirit Meet And Mingle

**Author's Note:**

> With enormous thanks to my two wonderful betas: Willowbrooke for her advice on an early draft of this story, and Wendymr for helping me actually get it finished. As always, any remaining mistakes are all mine.

James knows something is going on, though of course he trusts Robbie implicitly. He’s known it from the moment Robbie stuttered his way through a dinner invitation in their office that afternoon, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. It was in the way the other man insisted on picking him up, even though James is more than familiar with the best route to take from his flat to the house where Robbie and Laura live. And it was in the way Robbie had mumbled something about ‘big news’ on his way out the door, disappearing quickly before James could ask for more details.

His instincts are right, of course; James is a bloody good detective, and he knows Robbie well after all these years together. He has his suspicions about what might have happened, but he doesn’t quite believe it’s true until the moment Robbie parks up outside an old town house James has never seen before, though before he can speak he catches the look Robbie throws his way.

It’s a look that says ‘please don’t ask me, not yet’, and James can’t help but obey almost automatically, though he is longing to ask what might have happened to bring Robbie’s relationship with Laura to an end, when he’d thought things were going so well for them. The reasons for the break-up aren’t important, of course – he only really needs to know that Robbie is okay.

The other man leads him up the few steps to the front door, opening it and stepping aside to allow James to enter first. The house is divided into flats, as so many are in this part of town, and as James watches, his mind racing, Robbie unlocks the ground floor flat without a single word.

Robbie’s nervous, James can tell, and he longs to reach out a hand in comfort and reassurance. He buries them deeper in his pockets instead. There’s clearly something else going on here, something more about tonight than just Robbie telling him about his break-up with Laura, and he’ll let Robbie get to whatever it is in his own time.

It isn’t until they are inside, the door closed firmly behind them and the lights turned on to illuminate Robbie’s familiar if battered furniture – the furniture James thought Robbie had thrown out when he moved in with Laura – it isn’t until that moment that James finally speaks up, barely able to stand the silence any longer.

“You and Laura have parted ways.”

It’s a statement not a question, and the words hang in the air between them, heavier than James intended. Robbie stares at him for a moment, his face unreadable, then quirks that half-smile that never fails to make James weak at the knees.

“Suppose I should’ve known you’d put two and two together immediately. Would probably have been worried if you hadn’t worked it out, let’s be honest.” Robbie turns quickly and heads out of the living room, beckoning James to follow him. “I was going to tell you over dinner. We ended things a few weeks ago now, only I never knew how to tell you.”

A few weeks? James is stunned into silence as he follows Robbie through to what turns out to be a beautiful kitchen-slash-dining room, complete with a breakfast bar and a set of patio doors which lead out to a long, narrow garden, barely visible in the dusky evening light.

“Garden’s all mine,” Robbie tells him a little nervously, clearly following his gaze even as he crosses to check on whatever he has simmering away in the slow cooker. It smells divine, James thinks distractedly, impressed that the other man is actually using the device he once called ‘a waste of time and space’. “Comes with the flat. I’m thinking about putting in a vegetable patch at the far end, and maybe some raised beds down the side. It’s not quite an allotment, but it’ll do me for now.”

“Robbie, I don’t – ”

“It’s got two bedrooms, as well,” Robbie reaches for the bottle of red wine which stands ready and waiting on the side, next to two glasses, as he talks right over James, not quite making eye contact. He’s babbling a bit, James realises, even as he wonders briefly when Robbie had found the time to prepare everything. “Second one’s a bit pokey, mind, but it’ll be nice to have the extra space.”

“Robert…”

“A spare bed for you when you want to crash here, for one thing. Better than you cramming your lanky legs onto my old couch, let’s face it.” Robbie finally pauses for breath, and a hand comes to rest on the small of James’s back. It’s shaking ever so slightly, but James still leans back automatically into the touch as he accepts the glass of wine Robbie holds out for him. “I know you never felt you could stay over at mine and Laura’s, for whatever reason, but here, well… Any time, James. I hope you know that.”

“Robbie, stop talking for a moment.” James finally manages to catch his friend’s eye, surprised to see visible nerves in those expressive blue eyes. “I’m sure it’s a lovely flat, and the garden is great, but can I ask what happened with you and Laura? And are you okay?”

Robbie takes a long sip from his own glass before answering, though this time he doesn’t shy away from James’s gaze. “Nothing happened between me and Laura,” Robbie says eventually, and James can hear the honesty there. “It was mutual. We’re just better off as friends, that’s all. She’s fine about it. And I’m fine, too, I promise.”

The hand on his back is so warm and so welcome, and James can’t bring himself to step away, even as his mind continues to race, trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. There has to be more to Robbie and Laura’s break-up than that, of course, but does it really matter? Surely the more important questions are: if it really has been weeks, then why on earth hadn’t Robbie said something sooner, and why hasn’t James even suspected anything had happened?

It’s been a busy month for all of them at work, certainly, though that’s no excuse. Lots of late nights and early starts, not to mention enough overtime to have the higher-ups pulling their hair out. James has felt like he’s hardly had five minutes to himself, although whenever he has had time it’s always been Robbie’s company he’s sought out immediately. It’s never once occurred to him to wonder why his friend has always been free, always been willing to spend an evening or a lunch break with him when surely he should’ve been with Laura.

But James likes to think he would have noticed if Robbie had been upset or unhappy, in all those brief lunches and pub meals and walks along the river before heading back to the office. If anything, he realises now, his friend has actually seemed happier and more relaxed in the last few weeks. And the few times he’s seen Laura Hobson, at one gory crime scene or another, she’s seemed just fine as well, and certainly hasn’t mentioned anything.

James turns slightly to face Robbie a little more squarely, careful not to dislodge the warm hand which is still resting on his back. “You’re really okay?” he asks quietly, studying his friend’s face closely.

Robbie nods, just once. “I really, really am.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?” The words slip from his lips before James has the chance to think about them, and immediately he wishes he could pull them back. “No, sorry, forget I asked; you don’t ever have to tell me anything, of course. As long as you really are all right with how things have worked out, that’s all that matters, and I know – ” 

“James, stop talking.” Robbie throws James’s own words right back at him, with a brief flicker of a smile that almost immediately slides from his face as he sobers. “I didn’t know how to tell you at first. Didn’t want you feeling sorry for me, or us, when it really is mutual and what we both think is best. Wanted to get my head round it, too, before I said anything; being on my own again, I mean. Settling in to the new place, as well, and unpacking all these boxes, plus fetching all the stuff from storage.”

A thousand thoughts start spinning in James’s mind, including wondering why Robbie hadn’t taken all his belongings with him to his new home with Laura in the first place. He could understand that, between the two of them, they might well have had duplicates of certain household items, but for Robbie to have kept it all rather than donating it to charity suggests that he might have had doubts from the very beginning.

For the moment, though, that’s unimportant.

“Unpacking? You didn’t tell me because you were unpacking?” James snorts, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. “Seriously, Robbie, do you expect me to believe that?”

The older man shakes his own head again, and James catches another glimpse of nerves in those blue eyes before Robbie looks away. “Yeah, all right, I know. But I wanted to make you understand my reasons, and I didn’t know how. I’m still not sure how to do that, actually, but it’s important to me that you know I’m really okay with how everything has worked out.”

It suddenly occurs to James just how close they are standing, face to face by the kitchen sink with Robbie’s hand still so very warm on James’s back, and he feels his cheeks flush with heat. “Robbie,” he breathes, fighting the urge to step closer still, until they are sharing the same air. 

But Robbie seems to realise the same thing in the very same instant, and he drops his hand away abruptly, taking half a step backwards. “Come on, man, sit yourself down at the table. That beef stew looks just about perfect to me, though I can’t vouch for how it’ll taste. I’ll admit it’s our Lyn’s recipe – I’m trying to make more of an effort to actually cook, now I’m on my own again, and it stops her nagging me about letting that bloody cooker go to waste.” 

What is still unspoken is the time and obvious effort Robbie has put into preparing this evening, and James finds himself surprised and flattered that Robbie would do all this just for him.

In the blink of an eye, Robbie’s uncertainty seem to vanish and it’s almost like any other night the two of them have spent together over the years, comfortable and cosy and so wonderfully familiar. Robbie briefly stirs the rich-smelling stew and dumplings again before dishing them up a huge serving each, and they settle at the dining table with soft music playing in the background. 

It may be an unfamiliar flat, and James might still feel a little blindsided by everything he’s learned so far this evening, but as conversation turns to lighter subjects – Jack’s upcoming birthday, an open-air concert James’s band is performing in, a new history series on BBC4 – he is struck by just how much he’s missed this.

Just the two of them, spending a quiet evening together.

Not that the evenings he’d spent with both Robbie and Laura were ever anything less than lovely, of course, and they’d never made him feel unwelcome for even a second. In the back of his mind, though, James had always been aware that he was visiting a happy couple and intruding on their precious time alone. Robbie had been right when he’d pointed out that James had never felt comfortable staying over, always preferring to get a taxi home if he’d had too much to drink, though he’d rarely let himself reach that stage.

Perhaps that’s the reason he never once wondered why he hadn’t been invited over for dinner in the past month, though looking back now surely that should’ve been a warning sign that all wasn’t perfect between Robbie and Laura.

“You still awake over there?” 

James startles slightly at Robbie’s words, suddenly aware that he’s been lost in his thoughts for what must have been a few minutes. “Yeah, sorry.” He straightens up from his slumped position, stretching his arms high above his head. “Just thinking. This is nice.” Taking a deep breath, he decides to just say it straight. “Just you and me, I mean. It’s nice. Didn’t realise I’d missed it.”

To his relief, Robbie nods immediately. “I know exactly what you mean, man. Look, about me and Laura – ”

“Robbie, you don’t owe me any explanation,” James cuts in quietly. “The details are none of my business, they never have been. I know you said you wanted to make me understand, but as long as you’re happy, that’s all I really need to know.”

“I am happy. The thing was – and I do want you to understand, James – I’m just not in love with her, and she’s not in love with me, but we’ve decided we’ll stay friends. It’s been a bit odd so far, taking that step back, but we’re getting there, slowly but surely.”

That actually makes sense to James, though he’s never been in that situation himself. Robbie and Laura had been friends for so long, after all; too long, maybe, to be able to move from friendly love to romantic love, though from the outside it had seemed to be working. Still, he really doesn’t want Robbie to feel as if he has to explain everything in detail. He’s never wanted details about their love life.

Time to change the subject once again, perhaps, or at least redirect. “I had no idea. I really do wish you’d told me sooner, even if only so I could help you move your things.” A few weeks, and James’d had no idea Robbie had moved. It seems crazy, but what’s done is done. “You’ll have to give me the full guided tour later, but it’s a lovely flat, and I hope you’ll be happy here.”

“As long as you keep coming over for takeaway and beer – or stew, or whatever else I can cobble together in that bloody cooker thing – I’ll be just fine.” Robbie suddenly stands up, gathering the empty bowls and nodding stiffly towards the living room. “Why don’t you sit yourself down, and I’ll be through in a moment?” 

For no apparent reason, Robbie seems nervous again, and James frowns even as he refills both their glasses with the last of the wine. He leaves Robbie to clear up and obediently goes through to the living room, taking the opportunity to have a longer look around now the immediate surprise has worn off. It really is a nice flat, far more spacious than James’s own place, and there are indeed a couple of unpacked boxes still lurking in dark corners.

A few new pieces of furniture, too, including a smart new unit for the TV to rest on and a decent sized coffee table, and Robbie has already taken the time to hang some photos and paintings around the room. James is pleased to see photos of Val on display, as well as some of Lyn and her growing family, and a few framed prints he remembers from Laura’s house. A couple of new paintings, and – 

Oh, that’s curious. One particular item is draped in a dark square of material, as if to hide it from the world. James’s first thought is that perhaps this is something Robbie can’t quite bring himself to look at, a picture of himself and Val maybe, though it makes little sense that the other man would have taken the time to hang it up only to conceal it again. 

“Ah, you’ve spotted it, then.” Robbie’s voice is soft, barely more than a whisper, and James glances over at him curiously. Is this the other cause of Robbie’s nerves this evening? “That’s the other reason I invited you over tonight, though now I’m wondering…” 

Robbie crosses the room to James’s side, and for a long moment they stand there, shoulder to shoulder, looking at the veiled item. James can practically feel Robbie vibrating with tension, and in spite of his desire to know what is behind the silk square, he murmurs, “Whatever it is, you don’t have to show me. I can turn around and pretend I never saw it. And if you do want to show me, you know I won’t judge you for whatever it is.”

“I know you won’t. You’re a good man, James. The best.” A tiny fire ignites deep in James’s belly at those words, and he can hardly tear his eyes away from Robbie as the other man stands frozen for a moment before taking a huge breath, as if steeling himself. James’s own breath comes short as he watches Robbie reach out slowly to take hold of two corners of the cloth. “What the hell. In for a penny…” 

The silk falls away from Robbie’s nervous grip to flutter down onto the sideboard below, and James can only gasp in surprise as the painting beneath is revealed. It’s a small oil painting he recognises immediately, though he’d honestly never expected to see it again. What on earth is it doing here?

“How did you find this?” James whispers, just as a sudden thought pops into his mind. The only possible reason: “You bought it? Why would you do that?”

And why would Robbie hang it on his wall, let alone taking the time to cover it in anticipation of this moment of revelation?

“Too many questions, man. Just breathe.” Robbie’s warm hand comes to rest on James’s back briefly once more, a comforting and grounding touch though he’s still shaking ever so slightly. “In short, I went to an art show and stumbled across it by pure chance. Yes, I bought it. And the reason I bought it is because it’s you.” A brief pause, a nervous inhalation. “It is you, isn’t it?”

There has to be more to it than just that. What on earth was going through Robbie’s mind when he decided to buy an oil painting of his former sergeant, his friend? Lost in confusion, all James can do is nod, his head spinning. 

“Yes. It’s me. But why?”

And the silence which is Robbie’s only answer seems endless.

**Author's Note:**

> As in the earlier parts, the title is taken from 'Love's Philosophy' by Percy Bysshe Shelley.
> 
> The fourth and final part will be up in a few days.


End file.
